Crime | University student scammed over mobile game

A 27 year-old student from the mainland, currently studying at the University of Macau, has reportedly been targeted in a scam over a mobile phone gaming application.

According to a Judiciary Police spokesperson, the man found the app which allowed users to play games but required an initial payment of RMB600.

Accepting this, he started to play and earned RMB50, which he tried to claim, which is when he realized there was an issue. While trying to claim back his money, the student was told that earnings would only be paid to accounts that accumulate a minimum amount of RMB10,000.

Trying to go around this problem, he loaded RMB9,350 onto his account in order to reach the payable amount but even though his balance was RMB10,000, he lost access to the app and contact with the app administrator. This prompted him to make a complaint that the app was a scam.

During a press conference this week, the police also revealed details of a case involving a secondary school student, who was also targeted in a scam when she received a call from someone pretending to be one of her friends. She believed the claim, and recorded the new number under the friend’s name.

On the next day the same person called asking for help using the well-known story of being arrested in mainland and needing money to bail him out. He requested RMB20,000, and she went straight to Zhuhai to transfer the amount. After that, he called again asking for an extra RMB15,000, which she also gave him.

After a period of silence, she decided to text her friend at his “old” number, at which point she realized he never had contacted her and she had been involved in a scam, losing RMB35,000.